The Gift of Community Committee has announced the date for the 15th Annual event recognizing outstanding volunteers in our community. What would are community be without volunteers?

The Gift of Community event will be held on held on Saturday, February 20, 2016, at the Edelweiss Country Club.

Brochures are available at The Bank of New Glarus. Registration forms are part of the brochure. They are also available online at http://www.giftofcommunity.com.

Silent Auction items are being collected at The Bank of New Glarus. The proceeds from the Silent Auction go directly to the Community Foundation providing funding for grants that go back into the community. Questions can be directed to committee members: Bill Hustad, Kaye Gmur, Denise Wright, Suzi Janowiak or Tammy Newberry.

Young people of the community often learn by example. Their involvement as teenagers often shapes them into contributing adults and helps them in countless ways.

Nomination forms can also be found on line at The Bank of New Glarus. This is THE chance to recognize all those who make our community so unique.

Plan NOW to attend this annual fundraiser, volunteer recognition event and all around enjoyable evening!

This year's Student Asset Award Program will be held at New Glarus High School gymnasium on Monday, February 22, at 12:45 pm. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

Please nominate young people that deserve to be recognized as student assets for their contributions in every way in our community, school, churches, civic events or community festivals. Nomination forms can be found online at http://www.giftofcommunity.com or at the local banks. A new form has been created to make Student Nominations easier.

Volunteer of the Year

Mike Nevil will be "roasted" at the event Chef Mike Nevil, born and raised in New Glarus, Wisconsin, is the part owner of the New Glarus Hotel Restaurant, Ticino Pizzeria and Chalet Landhaus Restaurant.

He began his training at the age of 16 under Chef Hans Lenzlinger, former owner of the New Glarus Hotel Restaurants. After graduating from New Glarus High School, he studied Culinary Arts at MATC in Madison, WI. After graduation, he trained for four consecutive winter seasons in Unterwasser, Switzerland, to become more familiar with traditional Swiss specialties, and also at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mike is a Captain for the New Glarus Fire Department and has been a member for 33 years. With the department, he has been involved with the Expansion Group, the Running Team, Golf Outing and is the Treasurer. He has guided several groups of fireman on tours of Switzerland and Austria.

He has volunteered for other organizations such as Community Fest and Oktoberfest, and has been on the Board of the New Glarus Chamber of Commerce for 11 years.

Mike has been married for 28 years to Shawna, and together they have raised three children, Marcus, Mason and Zoe.

Student Asset Award Program

This year's guest speaker at the Student Asset Awards program is Nick Zweifel. Nick Zweifel grew up and attended grades K-12 in New Glarus and participated fully in the Wilhelm Tell Festival experience. He received his B.S. degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education from UW-Platteville and received his Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Capella University.

After 15 years of teaching high school mathematics at DeForest High School, Nick made a life change and began a new career as a Business Intelligence Analyst for Trek Bicycle in Waterloo, Wisconsin.

Nick currently represents the city of Sun Prairie on the Dane County Board of Supervisors. Nick serves as the Vice Chair of the Health and Human Needs Committee, which oversees a budget of $250,000,000 of funds that help Dane County's most vulnerable citizens. This committee makes up half of the Dane County Budget.

Bicycling has become Nick's passion. He just completed Trek's National Bike Challenge, riding 3,900 miles between May and September of this year without missing a day. During that time he rode in three century rides and participated in the inaugural Ride Across Wisconsin (RAW), which covered 175 miles from Dubuque to Kenosha in one day. He participates in several bicycle fundraisers, including the Trek 100 Bike Ride in partnership with Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer (MAAC) with proceeds going to research that brings hope to children battling cancer and the Boys and Girls Club ride which benefits the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County.

Nick Zweifel

Nick resides in Sun Prairie, WI, with his wife, Mary, their German Shepherd, Asher, and cats, George and Kaya.

For more information contact Kaye Gmur at (608) 287-4700 or (608) 527-2533. Other committee members are Bill Hustad, Suzi Janowiak, Denise Anton-Wright, Pattie Salter, Gof and Mary Thomson and Tammy Newberry. Anyone wishing to become involved in this event is welcome and should contact any of the committee members.